Summary
Trump revoked federal approval for New York City’s congestion pricing plan, which aimed to reduce traffic and fund public transit.
Trump celebrated on social media, declaring, “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD… LONG LIVE THE KING!” In response, Governor Kathy Hochul stated, “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king,” and confirmed the MTA is pursuing legal action.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy claimed the tolls harmed working-class Americans. The $9 fee had improved traffic flow, but enforcement will now be halted.
So far he has shown little to no actual means to enforce the majority of these orders. Unless he sends in the military for paper straws and congestion pricing, what can he realistically do?
He’s that shitty kid at the playground that makes shit up mid-game. “Nuh uh, I have a mirror vest that makes me immune to lasers!”
I dare this fat fuck to stick his head out in public again. Ideally he will and it will be the last time I ever have to see his stupid face intact.
He’ll send Elon with his dogs to investigate for efficiency issues, and withdraw funds, or send his DOJ after anyone who stands up to him.
That was the whole point of this past month of news blast after news blast of the damage they are willing to do.
He is cowing everyone into submission and its being very effective.
We’ll see who wins in this „nation of laws”.
Spoiler, it is the person that governs by decrees and gets away with blatant crimes.
As a New Yorker, herr Trump has never set foot on public transportation. The best he knows of it is what he’s seen in movies and TV that portray it in the worst light possible, a big public toilet, full of junkies, homeless, and poors. As for taxis and busses, they’re just a transit system for the poor that gets in the way of his private limo, should he deign it necessary to set foot on the ground level of the city amongst the commoners.
Good. Should be able to get an injunction and keep it going no matter how long these assclowns want to try and draw things out in court.
HUFFINGTON POST IS LYING and this post should be removed. Congestion pricing IS NOT DEAD just because Trump falsely claims it is!
Huffington Post didn’t make that statement in this article. They quoted Trump as saying that, by referencing his tweet.
They made that statement in the headline.
Ohh got it, you are right.
‘LONG LIVE THE KING’: Donald Trump Gloats After Killing Major NYC Initiative. Trump’s administration is revoking approval for New York City’s congestion pricing plan, which is raising money to upgrade the subway system
I thought republicans were all for small federal government, states rights blahblahblah.
“Small government” means “one white guy we call king”.
I’ve seen a number of articles about this today, but nothing clarifying why this a federal thing. Anyone have context?
I don’t know for sure, but I assume it is because the tolls would impact interstate commerce which puts it under federal jurisdiction.
The bridges and tunnels into and out of manhattan were already tolled and this doesn’t change that.
These tolls are within manhattan, although I don’t know if the plate readers are near a border
I did a little more research and I think that the Federal Highway Administration has to approve the tolls. This is from the fhwa.dot.gov website.
Under Title 23 of the United States Code (Highways), there is a general prohibition on the imposition of tolls on Federal-aid highways. However, Title 23 and other statutes have also carved out certain exceptions to this general prohibition through special programs. These programs allow tolling to generate revenue to support highway construction activities and/or enable the use of road pricing for congestion management. If Federal funds have been used or will be used on the highway, then the public authority responsible for the facility must qualify for toll authority under one of these Federal toll programs.
If the tolls are on any roads that used, or will use, federal funds, then FHWA has to approve them. The existing tolls you mentioned are still approved, but the new tolls for congestion management are not now (thanks to Trump).
Found it: DOT gave final approval after extensive environmental analysis, and apparently is now claiming insufficient environmental analysis. I guess that demonstrates that they do need to give approval but you can’t just change your mind on a whim
after four years and 4,000 pages of federally-supervised environmental review — and barely three months after giving final approval to the Congestion Relief Program — USDOT would seek to totally reverse course,” MTA chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said
